Undo #3: Bright, Vibrant or Dark Colors

When you move into a new place, you do all you can to make it yours.


When I am nesting, I sometimes still hear the Target commercial playing in my head "Sweet Happy Life."



When you get ready to move out, you need to do all you can to appeal to most of the people most of the time. You need broad-based appeal.

my Middle Girlie would love this orange
accent wall, but this is not everyone's
favorite shade of happy
via Apartment Therepy

#3 Cute thing to UNDO: Bright, Vibrant & Dark Colors

Painting and repainting (and re-repainting) is one of my favorite ways to transform a space. Hunky Husband and my Sweet Daddy usually end up doing most of the work -- I am the one with all the vision.

It is a relatively inexpensive way to totally change the feel of a space. Warm/cozy or cool/light. Bold or fresh. Light as a cloud or deep dark cave.  I hope you love it as much as I do, because your purchase of Glidden paint keeps HH and his Home Depot pretty busy.

-My colors are bashful and blush.
-Your colors are pink and pink. -- Steal Magnolias

My signature color is 237001 -- the clear bright green that you see all over this blog and all over my house.

When I stage a home to sell, NOBODY CARES what my favorite color is.  They want to see the space. They want the light to flood in and fill the rooms.  I can't let the wrong colors get in the way of them falling in love with their new place. Neither can you!

Packer Time via ManLand

So tone down the neon, the accent wall, and the navy stripes. Lighten up the chocolate dining room, the purple playroom, and the Packer green man cave.

All that being said...please do not think you have to go buy a 5 gallon bucket of builders' white.

I'm not the only one who loves Navajo. Miss Pam put it all through her open concept home
entry, dining, hallway, kitchen. It is the Little Black Dress of neutrals.
via Simple Details

I have painted so many things Navajo that my children think they are next, but it is a really good neutral.  It looks good with almost any wood tone. It is just enough color to set it off from white ceilings and white trim. Almost every brand has one of these go-to neutrals  Ask any paint salesperson what one color they sell tons of -- broad-based appeal.

houzz via Pinterest

Now, gray is the new beige.  It has become its own new fake word "greige." Don't feel like you are afloat in a sea of choices from battleship to slate. Try one of the dozen pins from different designers who have picked out some of their favorites. Trust the professionals, but beware of any post that offers only one brand of paint.  That one is prolly sponsored by the paint company.

Sometimes you need to tone down a bright color, but still need a touch of the shade to coordinate with your decor. Go to the white section of the paint chips. Pick the white that looks pink, yellow, green or blue. You can get the pastel version of the color without looking like a nursery.

get a gallon of sunshine with an undertone of quick sale,

just bec

check out some of the incredible ideas on these link parties:

before & after party @ thrifty decor chick nifty thrifty tuesday @ coastal charm show me what you've got @ our delightful home  tuesday to do @ the blackberry vine get your craft on @ today's creative blog tip me tuesday @ tip junkie  tutorials & tips @ home stories a to z  take a look tuesday @ sugar bee crafts  one project at a time@ a bowl full of lemons  tuesdays treasures @ my uncommon slice of suburbia  wow me wednesday @ ginger snap crafts   tuesday time out @ reasons to skip the housework  sugar & spice @ 733 a creative blog  whatever goes wednesday @ someday crafts show & share @ southern lovely wow me wednesday @ polka dots on parade  under $100 @ beyond the picket fence  show off your stuff @ fireflies and jelly beans  pinspirational thursday @ the artsy girl connection  hooking up with hoh @ house of hepworths  strut your stuff @ somewhat simple    share awesomeness thursdays @ the 36th avenue   a glimpse inside @ catch a glimpse   feathered nest friday @ french country cottage  freestyle friday @ happy hour projects  thursday temptation @ two yellow birds decor   flaunt it friday @ chic on a shoestring  the pity party @ 30 handmade days  weekend wrap up @ tatertots and jello anything goes link party @ bacon time  friday free for all @ five days five ways  frugal friday @ the shabbby nest  mad skills party @ mad in crafts  serenity saturday @ serenity you   manic monday @ serendipity and spice

Undo #4: Family Photos and Gallery Wall

Staging your house is a weird cousin of designing the house you live in. I'm from South Carolina, believe me, I know all about weird cousins.

When you are designing, you trust your style. All those projects from Pinterest get tweaked and polished and proudly displayed.

Now, let's play a different game.  For whatever reason, you have to sell your home. 

Lots of time?  Need to list quickly?  Have to sell quickly? Motivated seller?  Upside-down short sale?

No matter your situation, there are some basics for staging your home.

• Depersonalize 
• Scrub
• Make as many repairs as possible.
• Show off the space, storage & light in your home -- or create the illusion of it.

Coastal Living.com via Pinterest

#4  Cute thing to UNDO:  Family Photos/Gallery Wall  

Shutterbug Photo Props can make your children's
photos precious, but can't make them Realtors.

When potential buyers come to view your home, they need to see themselves there.  No matter how beautiful your children or your wedding photos, those people do not want to see them.  Please, take it all down.  Pack up those precious frames and stretched canvases to safely get to your new home. 

The home you live in is inspirational, the home you list needs to be aspirational.  You want to portray the best qualities of your home and the lifestyle they could have in it.  Help them see the future they could have in it -- not the past you have enjoyed there.  

Also, I don't know about you, but my gallery wall project took roughly 1,427 nail holes to get it just the way I wanted.  After you remove your pieces, don't forget to patch the wall wherever needed.  Paint over the repairs or the whole wall if needed.  Your home should be a dream come true, not a list of projects left for the next buyer (or their offer price may reflect it).

We've all heard that you should hang pictures at eye level, but who's eye level are we talking about here? The center of your art (with broad based appeal) should be about 5 1/2 feet from the floor, even if you have high ceilings.  Curtains look better when raised up, frames do not.

Pottery Barn shows a display of botanical photos made by
6 San Francisco artists.
You could take close ups of flowers in your own yard.
Black & white photos in matching frames pull any collection together.

I wrote a whole post about this point (with horrible pictures, sorry it was my first attempt at blogging), but please don't mistake "depersonalize" for bare/empty/cold/naked walls.  You have style & charm. USE IT WHEN STAGING YOUR HOME!  Replace family photos with appealing art pieces, local photography or a DIY map project. Use those thrifty, crafty, super powers!

Think about it this way. When I went out with Hunky Husband for the first time, I was charmed by him, but I did not want to hear about his ex-girlfriend.  You want prospective buyers fall in love with your house not your wedding dress, infant portraits or family christmas card.

Make your property Visit Ready so that you can move on to a new home full of DIY potential where you can frame new memories for years to come.

just bec

these are some great link parties:

before & after party @ thrifty decor chick nifty thrifty tuesday @ coastal charm show me what you've got @ our delightful home  tuesday to do @ the blackberry vine tip me tuesday @ tip junkie  tutorials & tips @ home stories a to z  take a look tuesday @ sugar bee crafts  one project at a time@ a bowl full of lemons  tuesdays treasures @ my uncommon slice of suburbia  wow me wednesday @ ginger snap crafts   tuesday time out @ reasons to skip the housework  sugar & spice @ 733 a creative blog  show & share @ southern lovely wow me wednesday @ polka dots on parade  under $100 @ beyond the picket fence  show off your stuff @ fireflies and jelly beans pinspirational thursday @ the artsy girl connection   hooking up with hoh @ house of hepworths  strut your stuff @ somewhat simple  share awesomeness thursdays @ the 36th avenue  a glimpse inside @ catch a glimpse   feathered nest friday @ french country cottage  freestyle friday @ happy hour projects  thursday temptation @ two yellow birds decor   flaunt it friday @ chic on a shoestring  the pity party @ 30 handmade days  weekend wrap up @ tatertots and jello anything goes link party @ bacon time  friday free for all @ five days five ways  frugal friday @ the shabbby nest  mad skills party @ mad in crafts  serenity saturday @ serenity you   manic monday @ serendipity and spice

Undo #5: Collections & Antiques

I started this blog to help DIYers apply all your craftiness and style to staging your home for sale or rent. Professional stagers can step in and help you make the most of what you have. They look at your possessions with fresh eyes.

However, if you are reading DIY blogs and trolling Pinterest, there are plenty of staging techniques you can do on your own. Unfortunately, if you are into blogs and Pinterest, you prolly have some great personal touches in your house that might need to be undone.


I started to write a post about the cute things to undo.  It is a big topic and apparently, I like to talk about it. a lot. So, that article got way too long.

I broke it into 5 separate posts.  I also got to make a cute little logo for the series.

#5 Cute thing to UNDO: Precious Collections, Antiques & Collectables

William Faulkner advised writers, "sometimes, you have to kill your darlings."  Sometimes, the precious objects that have made your home so homey, are the ones you have to clear away in order to stage your property for a sale.  a quick sale.  for top dollar.

Modern Bedroom
design by San Francisco Interior
Designer Lindy Donnelly  - via Houzz.com

My Mommy has made trips to auctions, consignment shops, yard sales and antique shops. The Goodwill store staff knows her by name.  Her Ruby Red Depression Glass and Milk Glass collections show off her hard work, love and commitment.  They also have my name on the bottom, so don't get any ideas.

However, if you're going to have people coming to look at your home, your collections may read as clutter instead of classy.  Any priceless, sentimental or irreplaceable items need a safe place to hide.  Show off the bones of your space instead of distracting viewers with baubles.

As a general guideline, you want to accessorize in odd numbered groups (3,5,7).  When staging, the fewer, the better. A side table may only need a fantastic lamp.

A coffee table can be grounded with a single large piece and a couple carefully chosen books.

Your mantle will probably look best clear with just one large piece of art.

Shelves even need to be edited.  Let any display or collection max out at three.

bookshelves styled simply via SimpleDetails

I love a good tablescape as much as the next girl, but go super simple for staging. Fresh fruit can make a colorful centerpiece for your kitchen table that lasts much longer than cut flowers.

via Indianapolis Home Stager

She who dies with the most stuff may win, but she will not always get the best offer for her property.  Go ahead and pre-pack, you'll be one step closer to your move and your place will be more Visit Ready.

just bec

sometimes I share at these link parties:

before & after party @ thrifty decor chick nifty thrifty tuesday @ coastal charm show me what you've got @ our delightful home  tuesday to do @ the blackberry vine tip me tuesday @ tip junkie  tutorials & tips @ home stories a to z  take a look tuesday @ sugar bee crafts  one project at a time@ a bowl full of lemons  tuesdays treasures @ my uncommon slice of suburbia  wow me wednesday @ ginger snap crafts   tuesday time out @ reason to skip the housework  sugar & spice @ 733 a creative blog  show & share @ southern lovely wow me wednesday @ polka dots on parade  under $100 @ beyond the picket fence  show off your stuff @ fireflies and jelly beans  pinspirational thursday @ the artsy girl connection   hooking up with hoh @ house of hepworths  strut your stuff @ somewhat simple    share awesomeness thursdays @ the 36th avenue  a glimpse inside @ catch a glimpse   feathered nest friday @ french country cottage  freestyle friday @ happy hour projects  thursday temptation @ two yellow birds decor   flaunt it friday @ chic on a shoestring  the pity party @ 30 handmade days  weekend wrap up @ tatertots and jello anything goes link party @ bacon time  pinworthy projects @ just us four  friday free for all @ five days five ways  frugal friday @ the shabbby nest  mad skills party @ mad in crafts  serenity saturday @ serenity you   manic monday @ serendipity and spice